The Virtual Building Group has been developing a Scheduling Dashboard to help us achieve operational excellence in our construction scheduling. With the Dashboard we are able to monitor and track the health of every project’s schedule, ensure that our people know and use proper scheduling techniques, and hold people accountable to company standards. 

The Dashboard is a web application where schedules created in P6, Synchro, or even Microsoft Project can be uploaded for project managers to self-audit their schedules and for VBG schedulers and operational leadership to review project status. The application shows the schedule health of all Beck projects from a very high level all the way down to individual tasks. The scheduling data is tracked over time, so we can: view changes in contract completion dates, days gained/lost, number of scheduled activities, and maintain baselines, duration changes and proper logic. This helps us be proactive in keeping any individual job on schedule and helps us manage our projects across the company.

The main Dashboard page (above) displays a list of projects with each project’s most recent schedule health score and a timeline of calendar days elapsed and remaining in the contract period. Clicking the score’s details link takes you to a table of schedules with basic date/milestone/task information and the final score for each schedule uploaded (below). Some of the cells are pre-requisites for achieving a good final score. An example of a pre-requisite is a maximum of 31 days between schedule updates. Contractually we are supposed to update the schedule if we ever are in need to request additional General Conditions due to Owner changes or inclement weather that extends the duration of the project completion date. If we are not updating the schedule, we will most likely not receive money that is owed to us.

For historical reasons, scores range from 0 to 100, with 0 meaning no issues and 100 indicating significant problems. Users can dive down to a page containing further details to look at specific audit areas where their schedule might not adhere to company policy. The Dashboard checks things such as

•          Checking of task-to-task sequential logic.
•          Inclusion/exclusion of holidays
•          Task duration
•          Lag between tasks
•          Task constraints

One user requested the ability to compare a revised schedule to a baseline schedule, which we now do in table form (below). Rows and cells of the table are color-coded to indicate tasks which differ by appearing only in one schedule and not the other, or by appearing in both and having date or percentage completion differences.

Another user request was for a way to link back to the original scheduling software (e.g. Synchro). Although we couldn’t do that, we could recreate a Gantt chart on which we visually highlight schedule problems (below).

Currently, all projects upload their schedules to the Leader’s Top Ten database at the end of each month. Unfortunately, when these schedules are in PDF format there is no quick way of determining if tasks are correctly linked, holidays properly accounted for, or even whether or not the project has been updated. This leaves Beck exposed to risk, and if problems are occurring with the progress of a job it is almost always too late to correct issues in time to meet the contractual project completion date without exhausting our resources. To address these risks, project schedules will be uploaded to the Dashboard instead of Leader’s Top Ten starting in January 2015. A link will be provided at that time.

Other folks are taking notice of our efforts. When we mention the Scheduling Dashboard at conferences, people say they wish they had this capability. We recently won the AGC (Washington DC chapter) Innovation in Technology Award sponsored by the Washington Business Journal, given for the “best use of technology as a solution to an AEC industry issue or problem”.

We look forward to expanded use and improvements to the tool in 2015. Here’s a list of enhancements already in the pipeline:

•          Auto-generating schedule templates based on project type, expected project phases, etc. selected by the user.
•          Cross-referencing job cost information
•          Weather delay analysis
•          Machine learning/statistical analysis of what constitutes a “good” schedule

Authors:

Brian Monwai

James Norris

While there is not yet a more or less agreed definition about what BIM and VDC are, BIM/VDC is still seen by many careful risk-takers concerned with maintaining the status quo as only an incremental innovation oriented to improve on an existing way of doing something.  BIM/VDC, however, is not only an incremental innovation but a new way to deal with the whole life cycle project development processes that will transform completely the AEC/EPC industries. Thinking about BIM/VDC as a form of “disruptive innovation” (Clay Christensen) or “creative destruction” (Joseph Schumpeter) could help us to understand the path of huge transformation that the AEC/EPC industries have just started to walk due to the impact of BIM/VDC adoption. 

Leading innovation requires leaders to rethink their roles and responsibilities. Many leaders like structure because it provides the comfort of control. They neither understand nor feel comfortable with the improvisation and autonomy that innovation requires. BIM/VDC is seen by many as a disruptive threat for established roles, status, reputation, or rights and prerogatives. However, when innovation is the goal, a conventional approach to leadership makes little sense. BIM/VDC demands not only the development of new technological skills but also learning new management approaches instead of clinging tenaciously to the skills that made the AEC/EPC industries successful in the past.

BIM/VDC might seem to be a non-core activity today that might become an absolutely critical competence to have mastered in the future. I am convinced that introducing learning goals in addition to performance goals, and making a pause to reflect on the “creative destruction” and “disruptive innovation” nature of BIM/VDC will help to realize where each of us fit on the trip of BIM/VDC towards becoming integrated into the fabric of the AEC/EPC industries, across every function and region.

An update to 5.0.0.2 has been posted, version 5.0.1.1

We have uploaded a new build for PRO 5 that contains some bug fixes and improvements. If you are running 5.0.0.2, you can download this by checking for updates in the Support tab within the application. This version is backward compatible with 5.0.0.2.

Those of you who follow emerging technology in construction know that the mobile app field is heating up.  Many offerings are showing up with a variety of features; however I am not aware of any others that include 4D scheduling.  Synchro’s mobile app, code named “Zephyr”, is moving ahead quickly, integrating feedback from our customers and our testing team.  “Zephyr” will be fully integrated with the Synchro Pro suite and will bring 4D scheduling  and project monitoring to the field.  The key methodology that “Zephyr” employs for mobile reporting is to report job status from the field at the task level and more detailed status reporting at the level of Resources. “Zephyr” is designed to take advantage of the range of services available on mobile platforms: fast 3d geometry, navigation, location services, email, voice and text notes, photography and video, weather reports, live connection, and so on.  Data reportable from “Zephyr” will be governed by the user’s role and permission in Synchro Pro, and will fully synchronize a focused 4D view of the project between Synchro Pro and “Zephyr” its mobile field extension.

Customer feedback has been critical in moving the design forward.  Requests for various navigation (with fingers, gloved hands, or a stylus), access to all data that is status-able in the field, full integration with Pro projects, status notes, photo notes, email routing, and modern mobile UI widgetry, are all high on the priority list.  Take a look at our alpha tutorial page to see some of the features that have already been implemented.

 Status reporting in “Zephyr” is about to be simplified, reflecting tester’s feedback.

 A Pro mobile server has been built and tested with “Zephyr”.  The mobile server provides a wireless connection point between a Synchro Pro (and therefor a Synchro Pro Workgroup) and “Zephyr”.  Initially we will support a checkout/submit process for data sharing with “Zephyr” in the field.  As we find stable networks in the field becoming the norm, we will extend the mobile server interaction to live mobile sessions.

Along with mobile apps, there is a lot of excitement in the industry about micro location services, computer vision technology, drones, and point clouds, to help capture job status in the field.  As these technologies mature and attain reasonable price and performance, we will incorporate them.  We have already integrated micro location services into the “Zephyr Alpha 3” build which has been accomplished through a partnership with Redpoint Positioning, Inc.  Redpoint offers real-time location services, currently accurate to 20 cm., through their proprietary WiFi/Bluetooth network.  With a Redpoint network installed on your job site, you can walk the site with “Zephyr” and see where you are, inside the model of your project.  We are currently able to connect to any nearby Redpoint network simply by typing its IP address into Zephyr’s Setting sheet. We display the entire network’s geometry inside the 3D model.  As you walk the site, your position is displayed within the model on your iPad. We plan to use this technology to align Zephyr's view of the site to the actual site, to the degree supported.  Stay tuned.

You should be able to try Redpoint in our first Zephyr beta release, coming soon. We are working with Redpoint to develop a way you can test  their technology while you are testing “Zephyr”.  If the tests go well and we find that it adds real value to the mobile experience in its current form, we will provide the “Zephyr” interface to the Redpoint network in our first release.  

If you have not signed up to test Zephyr yet, it is not too late.  If you have an iPad and want to test “Zephyr”, and influence its design, send a request to Jack.Gray@SynchroLtd.com.  iPad Air1 or Air2, and Mini with a good sized memory are the best.  Even older 4G and 3G iPads work, but are slower.  Though our testing is on the iPad, we intend to release on other platforms as well.

        These complexities, when undertaken by the project delivery team, must be managed with techniques and technologies capable of synthesizing enormous amounts of detail into a logical, accurate and validated plan.  The complexity created by the fantastic designs must be tamed by a tenable approach that focuses on quality, transparency and agile project planning which is clearly understood by ALL project participants.    

The visibility and cooperation enabled by 4D planning, much like when radio and television took hold, is transforming project delivery by providing teams the tool they need to proactively and effectively plan and manage the dynamic environment of construction. 

4D planning processes and technology enables real time interactive planning and scheduling control and brings visibility to the entire delivery team, giving the entire supply chain equal access and freedom to become a cooperative participant in the creative discussions required to get project planning done well.  When project designs are created, expectations are clear as to what to build and how much time is available to complete the project but by no means is “how” the project will get done clear until the delivery team plans and schedules the work from day one to handing over the completed project.  It is the scheduler’s responsibility to plan and sequence activities of the project.  This plan will dictate how contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and consultants will cooperate to deliver a successful project.  Today even simple projects have become complex as new constraints are introduced: difficult locations, neighboring property constraints, environmental and safety issues, access, prefabrication, laydown areas…  Before 4D, in the traditional age of project planning which still dominates the market today, industry participants relied on interpreting Henry Gantt’s  charts.  It’s no wonder it is rare for projects to be delivered on time and on budget.  The challenge for construction is not in understanding the design, the challenge is in effectively managing a constantly changing work site.  Over the past decade, project teams that have experienced 4D planning and scheduling techniques have reported dramatic changes.  Why? Because the 4D medium itself, not the perfection of the content it carries, is the focus of the process that opens the door to clear communication and universal understanding (The medium is the message http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_medium_is_the_message). 

As soon as the delivery team unveils the 4D model, everyone instantly becomes engaged, driving the conversation to a deeper understanding of the proposed project delivery approach.  Of course there will always be unknowns to confront, but there will be significantly fewer unknowns and even fewer unpredictable responses. Words like wallpaper, exclusive, unclear, and forensic are now being replaced by “inclusive, clear, transparent, accountable, validated and innovation” as the words that define the process of construction project planning.

Project delivery teams must plan every day of the project, model and remodel the approach until everyone is willing to deliver the project as one cohesive team, confident that every day the project is safe, productive and trusted.

Teams that bring 4D planning and scheduling processes to the project can experience the clarity of detailed 4D story boards highlighting key moments of the project that help everyone “walk into the future of the job”.  Using their field tablet device allows everyone to see the job, stage by stage and zoom in on the details that each participant needs to see or show from their perspective in order optimize, verify and validate the approach for the project.  Safety Directors are carrying out pre-operations sessions with no site conditions left to chance or misunderstanding. 

Today, the medium of 4D project planning and management, transforms our historically inefficient and unpredictable project delivery process into a transparent, cooperative and reliable process open for all to see and to participate.  When teams accomplish inclusive participation and accountability, a new level of performance and innovation emerge, and we remember what it is that we love about this industry.

We’ve all heard the terms BIM and VDC before.  But across the industry there are varying descriptions for each.  They are not the same. Well let’s take a moment to level set on what BIM and VDC means to Mortenson Construction.  

Objective: level set the terminology and definitions to drive a consistent starting point for a BIM/VDC conversation.

BIM or Building Information Models
From our perspective, BIM is a 3D model or the “noun”. BIM has two attributes. The first is the geometry or 3D object. second is the associated data of the object, like the manufacturer specifications, size, location.

Together, they form smart objects that are "parametric" in nature.  So if the data changes, the geometry changes with it.  AND Vise Versa. 

BIM Example: Here is the model of the door.  What makes this BIM is the attributes like the length, width, and height, manufacturer, etc.   the 3D model + the information = smart objects or BIM.  When the information changes, the model changes which also means that it is parametric (for us nerds).  Our design partners develop a building information model in order to extract 2D contract drawings or the design intent.

Wikipedia Definition of BIM  The term BIM was popularized by Autodesk.  It is interesting that even in this description, the term is used as both noun and verb. The origin of the term is in form of a noun.

When BIM is described as a process, it translates into VDC.

VDC or Virtual Design and Construction
VDC is a “verb” or taking action on BIM.  From Mortenson perspective, VDC is simply a visual management methodology using BIM as part of our proven construction analysis and work processes. 

Design teams use BIM and Construction teams use VDC right?  Wrong...

The design team utilize VDC as part of their work processes such as lighting or engineering analysis. The construction team core work processes are scheduling a project, estimating a project and analyzing the design for constructability. 

Wikipedia Definition of VDC. VDC, the management process was developed through the CIFE organization at Stanford University.  Note this definition is clearly a process using BIM as a key component.

VDC Example
Work Process: Planning and Scheduling
Every project is built from a construction schedule.  Here is a traditional view of a critical path (CPM) project schedule. Each row you see is a set activities that has a start and end date.  In a project, there maybe 5,000 – 30,000 activities required to build a project.  

Makes perfect sense right?
Now let’s look at what VDC does with this construction schedule…  Play the video of the 4D visual plan. What would you rather build from?  Get the idea?

Now let’s look at what VDC does with this construction schedule…  Play the video of the 4D visual plan. What would you rather build from?  Get the idea?

BIM / VDC Analogy
Let’s look at these terms in another way.

So why do we perform BIM and VDC? 
It allows the project team to develop a virtual prototype similar to automotive, aerospace industries to drive increased certainty of design and building process!  

Plan the Work, Work the Plan 
There are two areas of focus for VDC.  One is the use of BIM as a virtual prototype to plan work. The other is using the output of VDC process to execute the work.  Getting the information into the field is a critical success factor!    This is where we leverage new technologies like machine grade control,  robotic solutions, reality capture with mobile devices to bridge the gap between the trailer and the field. 

The overall objective of BIM and VDC is to improve communication through the visual medium. This leads to effective team collaboration. 

The outcomes of effective BIM and VDC use by the project stakeholders are earlier, better informed decision that lead to higher predictability of time, cost and quality of the product or customer value.

In conclusion, our stance is that BIM is a 'noun' and VDC is a 'verb'.  What do you think.  Something tells me that our stance will stimulate a healthy series of comments.

In the end of the day, BIM and VDC are just a few of the tools in our toolbox that our team members leverage on a day to day basis to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

For more information on building a strong VDC program see this other post.

To experience more of our VDC journey, please visit www.mortenson.com/vdc-journey

Rick Khan
Director of Integrated Construction

This question has been asked multiple times within companies that are new to the VDC / BIM methods. The solution may be simple to understand but challenging to implement.  It’s understood that the construction industry is not the fastest to accept new methods and strategies.  Why should we? We have been constructing major projects for years without using these methods. 

The answer presented here is:  from day one! From the very start of the schedule development process. 4D scheduling has the greatest value when it is utilized to help provide insight and clarity during the very first stages of the schedule development.    

Insight into the construction schedule is one of the greatest values earned from developing a 4D Schedule. We all understand that the cost-influence curve dictates that as the project progresses our influence to make major changes decreases and the cost of those changes increase, significantly.  A 4D Schedule provides valuable insight into the construction scheduled by reducing risk in terms of known-unknown schedule errors without a 4D Schedule.  These errors are often never caught until it’s too late.  Currently the industry is beginning to demand that risk management becomes the new “Safety,” a practice that the industry has focused on, successfully, for the past few decades.   Reducing risk in the schedule has always been a major undertaking; however, with the advent of 4D Scheduling, that undertaking has become less burdensome.  Developing a base-line schedule in 4D reduces risk by providing insight into schedule logic, the sequencing of major components, and providing a quick visual check.  Currently schedules are reviewed by pouring over multiple sheets of Ghant charts and tables, this method can take hours and days to complete.  Even then, the full scope of the schedule may not be understood.  A 4D Schedule provides a visual check in the 3D world where one has complete control of visual time.         

Another reason for developing a 4D Schedule from the very beginning is people.  As often attributed to a famous scheduler; “Something funny occurred when we were developing a 4D Schedule; people got involved, they wanted more schedule meetings.”  If the most valuable resource we have is our people, then why are we not fully utilizing them when we develop out schedules?  We may be using them to a certain degree, but surely we are not appropriating them to their fullest extent. 4D Schedules allow all team members to understand the plan and make errors and potential issues (those known-unknowns) blatantly obvious. 4D Schedules allow schedule meetings to become more productive. People get involved, they are no longer chained to the mountains of paper Ghant charts and tables, and are instead in front of the projection screen directing, coordinating, and building the schedule.  They are doing what makes them valuable.    

The last reason presented is solid communication. Only a 4D Schedule can provide the concept of the full construction schedule in the shortest time.  The visual schedule can provide a more solid communication tool then the paper Ghant charts for the intuitive nature of a 4D Schedule is simpler to understand.  A 4D Schedule provides a better sandbox environment to create the “What if” scenarios necessary to develop lean, risk reduced, and achievable projects in a widely communicable media.        

But what if the 3D model is not ready?  The 3D model will never be ready.  In fact there may not be a 3D model for months.  That should not stop the development of a 4D Schedule. If a schedule is being developed, chances are there are 2D drawings or the project is similar to another project that has a 3D model that could be salvaged.  The 2D drawings could be used to create the 3D model components that are required to express the content of the developing schedule.  The lack of a 3D model should never stop the creation of a 4D Schedule.  Doing the best with the information at hand is already what scheduling is during the first stages of development. 

4D Scheduling will provide insight into the process, allow all team members to fully and quickly understand the plan, and it will undoubtedly improve the quality of scheduling while providing clear visualization.

For those who new to the concept: 4D is the inclusion of the schedule into the BIM to create a virtual construction process. As the 4D trend is catching on there is a need to evaluate the different kinds of 4D tools. The different tools for 4D allow for different optimization levels of the schedule and different kinds of output from the various software. As a part of my master’s thesis, I did a qualitative comparison of a 4D visualization tool, and a 4D scheduling tool. The tools were applied to a project, Gullfaks. Gullfaks is a 17800 m² office building currently under construction outside of Stavanger, Norway. The contractor is Kruse Smith AS, whom I teamed up with for the comparison.

Firstly, it is necessary to define the difference between a 4D visualization and a 4D scheduling tool. Simply put:

-          A 4D visualization tool lets you visualize the construction processes as planned from a separate schedule. From this, you can evaluate if the project is constructible as planned. This approach is a more manual process.

-          A 4D scheduling tool allows you to visualize the project as planned, and then lets you change the tasks and dependencies to efficiently optimize and validate the sequence of activities inside the program.

 4D Visualization:

The tool I used was Autodesk Navisworks’ TimeLiner. One of the nice features here was the “auto-attach by rules”, and the possibility of creating search-sets. This allowed for a quick sorting of the objects in the program. Since the searches were based on the properties of the objects it would need a sorting property existing in the objects from the BIM to create groupings based on zones, e.g. CurtainWall_level5_zone3.

But when the groupings had been created, the static nature of the program made it difficult to alter groupings within the program. The optimization became a cyclic process moving between the scheduling software and navisworks Timeliner to make updates.

Although limited, this visualization approach can be used to improve communication and clarify the schedule, and also spot major to intermediate flaws in the plan, depending on the experience of the personnel reviewing the file. Minor flaws can have huge consequences, but they are harder to spot through visualization.

4D scheduling:

Synchro Software offers a 4D scheduling and planning tool, Synchro PRO. It allows for a more efficient approach to the optimization process since most of the changes can be done inside the program. A neat feature in the program is that the model shown is by default in review mode. Meaning, if you link an object to an installation task that hasn’t started the object will disappear from view and reappear when the you move the focus time to/after execution. Another trait that made Synchro more user friendly was the possibility to alter the appearance of tasks. So if you’re communicating the plan to multiple teams they can know which color is “theirs” and thus easier grasp the flow of work when there are multiple tasks going on at the same time. You could also include human, equipment, and location resources.

Conclusion:

There is a clear difference in capabilities of the programs, with 4D scheduling having the greatest potential as a planning tool. However it is evident that both programs made the schedule a lot easier to convey and understand for the stakeholders in the project than a traditional 2D-Gantt-chart. And even the 4D visualization would obtain indirect time and cost benefits through improved communication. The 4D scheduler’s benefits are both indirect and direct.

The benefits of improved communication are graspable, but not necessarily measurable, and might therefore be a hard selling point. But the benefits of manually and automatically checking to see if there is something wrong with the schedule is measurable. That’s the cost of the avoided change order or time delay. Also, the ability to increase efficiency through just-in-time deliveries of materials and equipment. These are direct benefits from the 4D scheduler, and can be achieved through (1) dynamic clash testing of the temporary objects, permanent objects, work zones, and other objects on the site, and (2) generating lists where the activities, start, and finish dates are linked to objects and their GUIDs to enable just-in-time deliveries. 

But for all of this to work smoothly there needs to be an easy way to sort objects in the software. Sorting the objects is a time-consuming, but important task when creating a 4D representation of the building. It is therefore important to make this process intuitive and easy. Navisworks was static and rigid with its groupings, and didn’t allow for much tinkering inside the program. Synchro had more fluid groupings, and there were a couple of ways to go about creating them, but most of them weren’t intuitive or straight forward to generate.

Some takeaways from the first chapter:

If Contractors do not effectively implement 4D with BIM, the cost of construction for almost any substantial project – building, infrastructure, industrial – is higher than it needs to be.  Money is being wasted, time is being wasted, and sometimes safety is being compromised.  BIM enables increasingly more advanced, more intelligent designs.  Constructing that design is also increasingly more complex - the congestion of time, material, people, equipment, and space creates unforeseen problems - this is common and continuous.  It would seem obvious that many of these problems could be identified and averted if planning was effective.  And if these problems were averted then money and time would be saved.  But how can planning be effective if a schedule is done “1-dimensionally”, line by line, hundreds of activity connections spanning pages on top of pages?  How can a scope of work with say 20 (or more) activities in the same physical area occurring at the same time be well understood?  Or how can the safety risk of a crane operating overhead be adequately accounted for when it doesn’t even appear on the schedule?  Truth is, no matter how detailed and visually appealing the BIM model, if it doesn’t clearly show the “when” for every activity of construction then how do we know there are not going to be problems, potentially avoidable problems?

Traditional “line item” scheduling is taken for granted, but the truth is that it is archaic, “old school”, filled with “tribal knowledge”, and assumed to be “the way things are”.  Well they are not.  BIM needs 4D, effective 4D, and effective 4D is more than just visualizing a model as it is being constructed based on a forecasted schedule.  That is cool, but likely it is not much use.  That is because when problems in the construction sequencing or coordination are observed, the time it takes to figure out solutions is too great, the process too iterative, the communication too painful.  Eventually the Construction Manager loses patience, decides to just get going, and then when the rework starts and the delays arise and the blame is thrown around (more often than not directed at the “modeling guys”), he/she demands more resources and more overtime.  He has no choice it would seem.  And so the Owner thinks he also has no choice.  Well he does. 

4D Construction Planning and Scheduling, or 4D Modeling, utilizes software to enable the digital creation of the approved project delivery approach through the development of specific project plans and schedules that combine 3D data and time data into a single integrated model of the project delivery approach and execution.  In other words, 4D puts the project plan into real context.

The focus and purpose of 4D Construction Planning and Scheduling is to enrich the planning and scheduling process to achieve improved communications and stakeholder participation and for the creation of a robust delivery approach that can be understood, validated and reliably implemented by the project delivery team.  Owners should insist on seeing a 4D Plan as part of the Contractor’s BIM Execution Plan, and the 4D Plan needs to include more than just a series of animations.  The 4D Plan needs to require the visual reporting of construction schedule through the entire life of the project – including jobsite status updates - and the delivery team needs to be held accountable for what can be accomplished with 4D, and not given a pass because “line item” planning is the best they can do.  Sure this requires change, sure this requires teamwork.  But anyone who thinks that the effort is not worthwhile is kidding themselves, lured by the fantasy that the overly optimistic forecast schedule is on target, and that having great talent in the field to fix the problems is the solution. 

So what can an Owner expect from a Project that is progressively using 4D with BIM for planning and schedule validation on a continuous and inclusive basis?  A few examples –

1. Reduction in lost time in the project execution due to - Time lost in dealing with rework in the field caused by unplanned workspace clashes; Time lost in the field due to extra meetings convened to “talk through” the confusion in the schedule; Time lost in the field due to the occurrence of unplanned safety events that could have been avoided

1. Reduction in mistakes in the field caused by lack of needed information due to - Assuming a construction plan can be developed based solely on review of the design model; Assuming the initial schedule forecast is sufficiently accurate based on unverified/unreviewed inputs; Assuming a construction sequence is flawless without a thorough review by all stakeholders of site logistics and temporary works

1. Reduction in the margins (cost avoidance) by removing unnecessary conservatism due to - Additional “float” in scheduled activities to account for “assumed delays”; Additional space allocated for activities to account for the possibility of congestion; Additional time for contractors to be on site

For an Owner, the bottom line is simple – without 4D they are missing a big opportunity to save time and money - period.

Over the weekend, I purchased a new book by Matthew Syed – Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success (Copyright 2015 by John Murray (Publishers)). Having enjoyed many of his sports writing in the past, I was keen to read it so I actually purchased it from a bricks and mortar book store - so that I could read it then and there. With the help of four coffees, I managed to read it in one afternoon - which was actually easy to do as I found the subject matter completely immersive.

Broadly speaking, it is a fascinating book and its relevance can be seen in sport, business, education, coaching and across facets of personal life. He discusses the impact of culture in the workplace, marginal gains, growth mindset and the ability to adapt to failure in a positive way. This is the most interesting and relevant topic that I took from the book, which forms the basis for this post.

Syed talks about the way that, gradually over time, we now generally think about ‘failure’ as embarrassing, reprehensible and even ‘dirty’ in society. However, Syed also mentions how the key revolutions in humanity that have advanced us to where we are today have all been borne out of challenging the previously accepted way of doing things. From school children who won't raise their hand in class through fear of ridicule through to not speaking up at a team meeting in case you are dismissed, even though you have a valid point.

It is no coincidence that creativity thrives within environments that have no fear of doing wrong or being scolded by an authoritative command.

Redefining the notion of failure

Syed talks about how the true path to change is to transform the notion of failure. Instead of it being embarrassing or reprehensible, it should be seen as knowledgeable and informative. Would anything meaningful be created - or improved - if the only desire when planning to do something is simply to avoid failure?

This led me to thinking about the way that we do things at Synchro. We are constantly looking to challenge that status quo and to break down barriers to adopting change within the construction industry. We understand why people don’t want to make mistakes at a delivery level, but also see how it happens every single day resulting in time delay, expensive temporary works elements or – inconceivably - accident and injury. This doesn’t happen because people want to do things wrong.

The real failure here is that this process will invariably happen again on the next project, because people are too focused on avoiding their personal notion of failure to really change their way of thinking and create success. People soon slip back into old mindsets and rely on tried and tested techniques through fear of trying a new way (even if these techniques have often brought them failure(s) in the past).

Whenever we fail at doing something, we learn. We can then practice it again in a less-pressurised environment and make the process better. This is why sports teams have regular practice sessions using different types of training in different enviroments, focusing on metacognition to achieve marginal gains.  Similarly, if we really think about redefining the playing arena within construction project delivery, we can expect to achieve different results.

If a construction team can build their project virtually, going through a digital rehearsal of their project and allowing key stakeholders the opportunity to test and interrogate different scenarios - all within a creative and cooperative enviroment - the end result will be better suited to ‘successful’ delivery once the ground is broken for the first time.

True change can only come from an honest acceptance and engagement with problems and failures.

This is where the true value of reconstructing failures really exists.

With the ever-increasing demands on construction project delivery – from intricate design, demands on logistics, environmental issues, important health and safety measures and overall commercial viability – it is time to change the way that these projects are created, planned and delivered.  It is time to embrace error and push the boundaries of our current knowledge to find new ways of solving the construction project conundrum.  

Einstein once said that ideas are more important than knowledge; that we are more creative when our emotions and imagination are involved in what we are doing. Trial and error or ‘play time’ can be hugely effective in controlled trials, allowing us to rehearse ourselves to success through early cooperation; absolving blame and openly sharing information.

Challenge the status quo and dare to be different

Only by challenging the idea of ‘what worked once will always work’ will we move the delivery of construction projects into the digital age. Organisations and individuals have the ability and strength to learn and grow from previous mistakes.

Instead of an issue or problem being someone else’s responsibility, break down the information silos and inspire creativity within your team to find the right answer for all.

Challenge so-called truths about successful project delivery and experiment with new ideas.

Improve the flow of information through the project life cycle and understand that the concept of failure is avoidable by trying to do things differently.

Take the onus away from one person who is planning a project and get creative input from all members of the project team in an environment that is built on trust.

At Synchro, this is what we love to do and we want to help you to deliver projects that are well planned, well managed and well delivered. 

We challenge the status quo. We embrace creativity and reconstruct failure. We want to help you change the game.

Starting mid-day on September 21, team BIM Unlimited gathered around 2D plans of Hudson Yards and brainstormed ideas for the Western side of Western Yards. Western Yards is the western side of Hudson Yards, a 17 million square foot piece of property that combines both commercial and residential space.  

48 hours later, BIM Unlimited presented a Synchro PRO 4D model and won the Sustainability and Constructability Award. 

What is Build NY Live? 

Build NY Live is a 48 hour BIM competition that challenges professionals from all over the world to re-imagine the Western Yard Site at Western Yards.  

What was the challenge? 

This year’s challenge was to construct Hudson Yards Sports Arena- a bridge connecting all communities from every socio-economic class through sports.

How did Synchro contribute to the success of the team?

Our very own Shaohua Guan was part of team BIM Unlimited, which consisted of students and professionals from the UK, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands and Japan. BIM Unlimited took the architectural and structural IFC files, imported them into Synchro PRO and created an animation. What the team found most helpful about PRO was the model synchronizing feature. “The model synchronizing feature was extremely useful when updating the model from initial to final design,” said the team. Synchro, along with the other technology used, lead the team to win the Build NY Live Sustainability and Constructability award which recognized the team with the best overall 4D model, among other criteria. Way to go team!

 Follow the Light

Thank you to the courageous leaders who have stepped up and who have challenged decades of conventional thinking- because of you, a new day has dawned in construction.  Attend an industry event, listen and look at all the new technology emerging.  Construction is at least a $5 trillion dollar industry, significantly higher depending on how you define “construction”- smart tech companies see the problems and they understand the opportunity- the potential to make a positive contribution to an important industry, as well as the opportunity to make a bit of money. The result is a huge amount of new tech tools: virtual reality, augmented reality, drones, laser scanning, dashboards, data analysis, sensors, wearables….  The geeks have arrived and just in time!  Some of their new technologies work, some still need work…some have begun to revolutionize the industry.  One thing is certain; the days of general purpose technology are over, the construction industry is finally getting purpose built tools, and the ones that work are creating excitement and they are attracting some of the best and brightest to the industry.  Yes, the industry is slow to change, it will take time, but the leaders among us have fueled the train, it is moving forward and it is gaining speed.  Once it crosses the crest you best be prepared because there won’t be time later. 

A strategy for the 21^st century

Technology alone will not solve the challenges faced by the construction industry so don’t wait for that day to arrive- it won’t.  Success will be driven by smart people, working in a highly cooperative process with technology that is purpose built for the complexities of construction.   One technology that has outstanding results on projects around the world is 4D Scheduling and Project Management software.  If you don’t know about it yet, find out- the stories will light a spark.

Here is a 10 point checklist to determine if 4D BIM is right for you:

1. Do you believe a validated and reliable schedule provides a foundation for successful project delivery?   On most projects today, schedules often follow rather than lead the project.  “With the tools currently employed on most projects, project participants see more work than benefit from the schedule,  they take a more passive role; doing the minimum to keep the scheduler off their backs.  They end up doing what makes sense in their own limited view, regardless of the wellbeing of the overall project. “   Clearly this needs to be fixed.
2. Does your schedule clearly identify safety issues, congestion, and no work zones to minimize risks and hazardous conditions? Does the safety team understand and participate in early review of the plan? 
3. Are temporary works, resources and equipment included and optimized in your schedule? There are significant potential savings here. 
4. Can you easily identify space/time conflicts early in the planning stage so they can be resolved when costs are at their lowest? 
5. Does the project delivery team engage and share knowledge to optimize the plan for the overall project rather than protecting their silos? 
6. Are your subcontractors and specialty suppliers receiving up to date progress reports to ensure maximum productivity and cost efficiency on site? 
7. Do you communicate clearly and efficiently ensuring the entire delivery team has a shared understanding of the project approach? 
8. Are you confident that you can deliver every project on time? 
9. Have you reviewed “what if” scenarios to enable informed and proactive decisions if things don’t go as planned?
10. Are you innovating at every stage to ensure peak performance?

If you answered “Yes” to question 1 and “No” to any of questions 2-10, you should start a pilot project using 4D Scheduling and Project Management.  Don’t wait, just get started, the results will surprise you.

4D does one thing that revolutionizes planning and scheduling- it brings the visibility of CAD into the planning process so now, rather than interpreting Gantt charts and reviewing stacks of 2D drawings- the 3D model and the schedule are combined to simulate a project in real time in whatever level of detail is necessary- move forward- move back- review and edit your plan with your supply chain- optimize the schedule for the entire project not one phase or one subcontractor, rehearse your plan until you have confidence that the team clearly understands your approach and is ready for construction.  For the first time, the industry literally has a low risk, low cost practice field on which to review, optimize and rehearse a project before ever starting work on the site. 

In the early phase of a project, 4D is used to demonstrate your approach and to win work. Once the project is awarded, the 4D model is used to review the approach, identify out of sequence or missing tasks, to run what if scenarios, to perform clash detection on space and time rather than just design clash detection and to validate and optimize the plan.  Later, 4D is used for look ahead meetings, monitoring progress and reporting planned vs actual, resource utilitization, and finally, the 4D model can be used for commissioning, operations, and maintenance. View the 4D workflow.

A validated and optimized plan is the foundation of successful project delivery- it identifies the approach that the entire delivery team will use to achieve their objective, so it is important that the plan be clearly understood, validated and even rehearsed.  Consider this- construction is a lot like a football game- each game is unique- there are many participants with different expertise and knowledge.   The only way a team will win is if they practice hard, trust their plan and work together, play by play, to achieve their goal- to win the game.  Similarly- each construction project is unique- the team changes every project- to win requires the highest levels of coordination, trust and informed decision making.  That takes practice- but until recently- construction never had a low risk, low cost environment in which to practice - and the result has been decades of poor performance.  Don’t accept poor performance as a given- there are better ways- spread the word!

For more informaiton on Synchro PRO 4D Construction Scheduling and Project Management Software visit: https://synchroltd.com/

Part II of this article will discuss "What To Look For When Evaluating 4D Construction Software".  

The number of new technologies entering the construction market is radily expanding.  Some of these new products (and old ones for that matter) work fairly well, some make big promises but little impact, some actually make matters worse and some…… will revolutionize the industry.  4D scheduling and planning is one technology that has been around for a few years and its impact is growing dramatically. 4D is being used on all types of construction around the world and its value is driven by transparency and cooperation. If you haven’t dug into the details yet, you should, and soon.  Here are some things you should consider when evaluating 4D products.

Not ALL 4D is created equal.

Top Five things to know:

1. Can you import all your design file types and is there a limit to file size?

 There is no 4D without a design- either in 2D or preferably 3D. For maximum flexibility, it is important that your 4D software interoperates with your CAD software so you can efficiently import your design and design data to create your 4D model.  Understand file type compatibility and what data transfers with the 3D model on import. The more data the better.  

    2.  Does the 4D software have full scheduling capabilities? 

 Very few 4D software includes a scheduling functionality but it is critical.  Without a full scheduling capability, you are only viewing one scenario, there is no ability to add tasks, make changes, or to optimize your plan. There is 4D to VIEW and 4D to DO- know the difference.  If your only goal is to create an animation, then software without a scheduling capability is fine- just know what you are getting.  The big value of 4D comes from its ability to review, re-sequence, run “what if” scenarios, optimize, rehearse, and track your project.  Trying to plan inside a 4D viewer will leave you with no hair and no satisfaction, it often leads to bigger problems downstream so beware- know what you want 4D VIEW OR 4D DO.  4D DO delivers integrity in the data. 

“There is a real danger in "speedy over-automation" in that it assumes the data coming in (especially from the schedule) is correct, which it almost always is not. 4D is really about PLANNING, and effective planning requires a high involvement of collaboration. When automation is overused frequently the process of engagement is reduced, and that can be quite dangerous when problems are discovered too far down the line.” 

If you want 4D DO- understand what method of scheduling is used and the software’s interoperability with other scheduling software if you plan to import and export your schedules. 

    3.  Does the 4D software offer dynamic clash detection for space and time?

 Design clashes can be identified with a number of products including Navisworks and Solibiri.  It is important to run design clash detection but it is equally, if not more important, to run clash detection for the hundreds or thousands of activities that may overlap in space or time which are not identified by design clash detection.  True 4D software can identify clashes in a particular space over time including all resources: human, material, equipment or temporary works. This can be a source of significant savings.

    4.  Can you track progress in the 4D model?

Can progress be monitored and reported, can you view planned versus actual progress side by side in a viewpoint AND in a simulation?  A 4D schedule delivers value throughout the project lifecycle. Use a simulation to conduct project meetings, look aheads, safety briefings, training and more. 

    5. How will you be supported if you buy the software? 

 Anyone in this business knows there is a big issue with software support.  For the most part, there is little construction expertise at the big software companies so there is a lack of understanding about how to best overcome industry challenges and to establish best practice workflows.  Know where the software company derives the bulk of its revenue- that is where it will focus both its support and its R&D.  If construction doesn’t have a seat at the strategy table then don’t expect much.  Some companies offer little to no support when you run into difficulty, others have built their reputation on highly responsive one on one support- know what you will get before you need it!

Once you narrow it down: here are the finer points:

• How long does it take to import a file, once imported how long does it take to open a file?   (It will depend on file size so test your own file)
• Can you federate multiple models of different file types into one master model?
• Can you create path movements for equipment and people easily and efficiently?
• Can you cut or slice design objects inside of the 3D model so you don’t have to go back to the architect or designer. If you plan as you will construct, your 3D model should be designed as it will be constructed- this hasn't yet become status quo so know what ability you have to make your own changes- in some cases this is literally a few clicks of the mouse.
• Can you track costs and report on earned value?
• If you have a contract requirement to provide a project schedule in a certain format such as P6, can you export and sync schedule updates back to P6 to meet your contract requirements?
• How easy is it to use the software and what training options are available?
• Does the scheduling functionality provide for production planning?
• Can you track resource utilization?
• What is the company’s history of updates for the product- is there a record of continuous innovation or is product development lagging?
• Is there a FREE viewer for project stakeholders to access the project, does it offer controlled access?
• Is there a corporate license pricing plan?

The pace of change and new technology in construction is continuing to increase.  It’s important for companies to have a technology strategy.  4D is one platform on which many companies have chosen to build their strategy but whatever strategy you choose, the best advice is “Just get started”, waiting is only putting you farther back in the pack. 

For information on Synchro PRO 4D Scheduling and Construction Project Management Software visit: https://synchroltd.com/

The Safety Lead, Blake Mead, and VDC Lead, Angelo Lago, for Hensel Phelps Pacific Region used Synchro Software to plan and successfully execute the renovation of a hanger in Pearl Harbor, HI with increased safety and more efficient production.

What is the Project?

The project is a renovation of a 260 x 100 sq. ft. hanger on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, HI. The project removes all hazardous materials, upgrades the structure to Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (ATFP) blast rating, improves overall structural capacity, repairs roof damage, adds beams to the attic space, removes piping fire sprinklers and updates interior finish.

How was Synchro introduced to the Project?

Blake Mead is always looking for ways to take safety to the next level. “Safety should not be a reaction or lagging, it must be more proactive.” As Blake became more familiar with building information modeling (BIM) and virtual design and construction (VDC), he and Angelo discussed using Synchro to improve safety planning. Angelo gave Blake four hours of one-on-one training to get up to speed with Synchro. “Blake took a hold of it and ran.”

To visually show safety hazards in the model, safety icons created by Synchro were placed in the location and time of the hazards. Angelo first heard of this from his colleagues and shared them with Blake for use on the project. In addition, all other safety components, such as barriers and candle sticks, are also shown.

Hensel Phelps has a long history of using Synchro for planning and scheduling and is actively expanding its use. Their regional VDC leads regularly meet to share best practices and push the implementation of 4D Planning, which is part of the VDC toolkit.

How did the 4D model improve the plan? 

The Superintendent and Safety Lead created an initial schedule in Synchro and linked it to the model. Upon reviewing the initial plan sequence in Synchro, it was apparent that they could perform specific studies and alternate sequences before the roof demolition to optimize the plan. 

The initial plan seemed great, but visualizing it showed that the order of replacement caused additional hazards: the laydown area was not in the optimal position, work areas overlapped, and the access walkways could have been better located. Overall, the plan was simplified, made more productive and safer.

What are the basic safety requirements?

The project requires safety meetings with all trades for each phase three weeks prior to the start of work. During this meeting, they review the Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA). They walk through the sequence to identify any hazards in the environment or the job procedure so that each step of the entire job can be done safely and efficiently. Any identified hazard is mitigated by eliminating the process, isolating the process to eliminate or minimize the hazard, providing guards or control devices to eliminate or minimize the hazard, or providing personal protective equipment and enforce its use to eliminate the possibility of injury.

How was Synchro used to enhance the meetings?

The first time the visual plan was viewed there was an immediate impact in terms of understanding and identification of hazards. The visual plan was used throughout the duration of the project and the Synchro PRO model was projected during meetings for all to review.

By showing the Synchro model live, they were able to expand the Gantt view, show dates and tasks, and the objects that are related to them. The trades can immediately react, like when a warning line was not safe enough and they needed to use fall protection to get access. The Safety Lead, Superintendent and trades all collaborated to fix and immediately update the 4D plan with confidence before any problems are identified in the field.

What was the initial reaction from the field?

The Synchro 4D visualization simply made so much more sense. The trades like it because it wasn’t the routine reading of safety standards. With previous pre-plan meetings, engagement was minimal with quiet head nods. “Guys in the field are not big on reading procedures; they are hands on, visual learners.” A picture speaks a thousand words and a Synchro model goes way beyond that.

What was the effect when performing the roof replacement?

“The Synchro modeling effort made the renovation a hundred times smoother.” Everyone had a better understanding of doing it safely and correctly. They were executing the plan that they had previously watched. It was much more effective to repeat what they saw rather than try to repeat what they heard. There is simply more clarity looking at the visual plan. In addition, the trades were more calm and confident- and calm, confident sites are safer sites.

The model also provided more clarification to all parties. As new trades came on board, they were able to review the Synchro model to better understand the upstream and downstream sequences.

What other Virtual Design and Construction tools were used on this project?

As part of the renovation, the VDC team performed a laser scan of the high bay, mezzanine level, attic and roof to create an accurate as-built BIM model. An as-built model was created in Revit and then imported into Synchro to show the sequencing of work for the attic and roof.

What’s the biggest takeaway?

Synchro makes safety planning proactive, easy to communicate and engaging for the trades.

Import your design and data digitally to create a 4D model

The other project I was recently involved with was to schedule the decommissioning and demolishing of a plastics plant. A high-level schedule was populated to cover all front-end design and decommissioning activities including materials purge, asbestos abatement, power lockout, water and steam shutoff, etc. The enormous project site was divided into 14 areas and the draft of the baseline schedule was over 32 half size pages in total. The Client also required monthly schedule updates of construction progress.

A similarity that I found between these two unrelated projects and all of the large scale projects with complex conditions that I worked on before was that they made life harder for schedulers and planners, and I hated to admit that I nearly felt lost after many revisions or updates of a zero-D Gantt chart. With that being said, unless schedulers have years of solid construction management knowledge and are talented with extraordinary spatial imagination capabilities (imagining sequence construction activities to show a 230 ton crane moving on a trestle and extended fingers to set 150’ long girders for a new bridge with over 10 spans adjacent to an existing bridge without having a crane staging plan), even after the design is done in 3D, schedules are still being created in a way in which they have no visual access to the entire project. What makes it worse, is that many schedulers are not involved in most of the communication and coordination of meetings, and not enough time is left for them to understand the project and finish the schedule - and yes, we are living in a world where everyone needs everything ASAP. When they rush their work, they are probably uncertain whether their schedule will work, even if they’ve gone through the logic step by step or had a senior coworker do a QA/QC review for them to make sure plans match design. Being able to foresee the construction and sequencing of all work seems to be a minimum requirement.

An ideal workflow to maximize the strength of your 3D models is to have them reorganized and provided in a logical construction sequence-(group 3D geometry by phase, level, etc., or even WBS) in addition to having them organized with traditional design disciplines or CAD levels. Meanwhile, schedulers and construction managers can participate in updating and optimizing the 4D model- sharing their insights, and driving the planning process. Later on, iteration demos and review meetings are conducted, questions can be answered and concerns resolved while participants are  able to see first, predict and adjust with full utilization and exchange of information. This is exactly how industry leaders are implementing and streamlining their 4D planning processes and fully utilizing their 3D design data.

As engineers, we give our utmost to get it done, get it done right and on time - this demands for our plan to be validated before construction. You are assured that your project will be delivered after you walk out of the project coordination meetings; nothing will keep you awake during night because you know exactly what will be delivered, installed and inspected for the next two weeks (when, where and how). What I am trying to say here is: be more proactive with your 3D model data, use it, re-organize it and move to the next stage, digitally so that you can gain the benefit of todays advanced digital efficiencies. Do NOT waste it.

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With new tools come new methods. There are numerous examples of this when it comes to Lean Construction and BIM, where new BIM tools require new processes that very often encompass several lean principles. I tend to say that Lean is the right leg and BIM is the left leg, and although you could stand on either one, in a fiercely competitive market that constantly shifts, it is easier for a construction company to maintain balance by standing on both. 

4D scheduling is one example of synergy where BIM can be used to achieve lean effects, either to support traditional planning methodology or to complement the Last Planner™ System. This blog post is meant to give an introduction to 4D scheduling and how some projects at Skanska achieves lean effects from using 4D in projects.

4D SCHEDULING

4D means adding the dimension of time to the 3D model by linking plan activities to corresponding BIM objects (figure 1). The schedule can be created directly in the 4D software or be imported (e.g. MS Project, Primavera).

Figure 1: Activities and BIM objects merged in Synchro PRO 4D

It’s worth noting that the BIM model itself, just like 2D drawings, essentially is a representation of the finished design and therefore a fixed point in time (the completed project). 4D softwares however, provides an interactive timeline that allows us to represent the construction project at any point in time. In other words, you can build the entire building virtually before actual construction starts to find the optimal schedule.

4D ensures a better schedule in terms of constructability and workflow, where project participants and clients better communicate and collaborate. Instead of traditional sub-optimal information flow by verbally explaining current state and future work sequences, 4D enables projects to do this visually. This is especially beneficial in very complex project (figure 2).

Figure 2: 4D model of a Norwegian water treatment facility in Navisworks

Instead of drawings and Gantt charts, with 4D we can now bring the schedule to site and present it in a much more understandable way than ever before. Furthermore, by equipping crews with 4D software on mobile devices or stationary BIM units, they can mark completion statuses of objects or the model spaces themselves, so-called KanBIM¹ to visualize workflow, which is especially useful in location based planning.

Not only objects of the construction itself can be represented in 4D, but also elements such as site objects and material deliveries. Beyond 4D, other dimensions to include are project costs (5D), operational and maintenance cost (6D) and health and safety factors (7D), although these terms have not yet fully reached consensus within the industry.

INTEGRATING 4D AND THE LAST PLANNER™ SYSTEM

The most common form of 4D I have encountered and have performed myself as a 4D specialist is documenting a traditionally planned Gantt schedule for a planner. Fortunately, the trend seems to be moving towards using 4D actively with more modern planning concepts, such as location based planning and the Last Planner™ System.

Figure 3: Using Solibri Model Checker in a Skanska pull-planning session

For years we have known that using BIM in pull-planning sessions, regardless of 4D functionality, can contribute to achieving better plan reliability, specifically by ensuring quality regarding the 4 quality criteria for assignments²:

Size– quantities with a single click from the BIM can tell a concrete crew how many cubic feet of concrete they are committing to produce and whether it is a realistic amount.

Sequence– by rotating the model, using sectioning planes and transparency tools, crews can better find the best work sequence to construct to design conformance.

Soundness– BIM helps communicate the soundness of assignments through object parameters. Some example parameters are “material ordered” or “material delivered to site” statuses and design statuses.

Definition– is the actual work correctly represented by the activity’s description in the plan? Since BIM “gets people on the same page” the potential of misunderstanding is reduced, so that project management and workers are aligned on what work is planned.

BIM-supported planning has proven beneficial, and 4D functionality should further improve the planning process as it additionally increases our understanding of what we are planning. With the Last Planner™ System as the planning framework for creating and maintaining the schedule in Skanska projects, 4D is a tremendous functionality to check and communicate this schedule throughout the project.

CONCLUSION

More and more construction projects are benefitting from 4D scheduling, and experience that it ensures higher plan quality and better communication of the schedule between project stakeholders and production crews. Having seen projects use 4D in various extent, I think there is much potential in not just using 4D to support existing processes, but adjusting these processes for 4D to play an active part in project planning and execution, for instance integrated with the Last Planner™ System.

REFERENCES

1. Sacks, R., Barak, R., Belaciano, B., Gurevich, U. & Pikas, E. (2013) KanBIM Workflow Management System: Prototype Implementation and Field Testing

2. Ballard, H. G. (2000) The Last Planner System of Production Control

It's January, kick off the year with a commitment to continuous and measurable improvement!

In 2015 the use of 4D planning and scheduling increased significantly- numerous presentations were made at conferences demonstrating the implementation workflows and the powerful results: improved safety, increased productivity, lower cost and greater reliability.  The results come from the transparency and cooperation that true 4D visual scheduling enables. 

 Why the big interest in 4D BIM for construction?  The industry is at a point were complexity continues to grow and profit margins are slim- something has to change or the risks inherent in construction will outweigh the benefit.  Traditional CPM and Gantt charts tools have been the standard for decades but the results have left the industry in a place where on-budget and on-time are not the norm and only sometimes achieved-last year in the UK only 40% of projects were delivered on time.   Thankfully, however, the future is bright. Industry leaders who have chosen to challenge the status quo are reaping the rewards from purpose built 21^st century digital technology.  Synchro PRO is leading Improvement, Innovation and Cooperation- the results are significant.

                             Mixed Use Case Study               Nuclear Plant Outcomes Video       Water Treatment Lessons Video

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In the USA, Mortenson, Duke Energy, Austin Commercial, Ryan Companies, Beck Group and Walt Disney Imagineering are a few of the many companies transforming the metrics of project success.   If you haven’t heard their stories, they are game changers.  In the UK, MWH, Skanska, LendLease, Carillion and Crossrail are leading the industry forward.  Sample metrics from projects utilizing Synchro PRO 4D BIM include 50% labor cost savings (MWH), 15% schedule time reduction (Ryan) and perfect safety records with no dropped objects, no recordable injuries and no near misses on nuclear turbine replacements (Duke Energy).  These results are not unique, but they certainly are impressive and they are encouraging others to rethink the way things are done.                                 

Will Synchro PRO 4D Scheduling help your projects?  Begin by asking yourself some basic questions: 

• Does scheduling occur in silos?
• Are dates and durations determined by the few?
• Are workflow and production reliable and steady?
• Does the schedule end up following rather than leading the project?
• Is there a lack of cooperation and shared understanding?

If you had technology that provided the ability to truly understand a project before construction started, if you could see into the future of a project, could you avoid costly rework and make more informed decisions about constantly changing dynamics?  Could you identify and resolve not only design issues but issues related to activities and resources in space and time- is there enough space in the laydown area for the deliveries?  Will the crane operation interrupt other concurrent activities? Are different subcontractors scheduled to be in the same place at the same time?

Rather than being an audit tool, a 4D construction schedule becomes the foundation of reliable and efficient project delivery.  Synchro PRO is the most effective way to communicate and manage a project- people see it, they understand it and they engage with it in a way that was never before possible-  4D gives your entire delivery team the ability to see the approach, and to cooperatively optimize  and validate the project plan before construction begins.  The Synchro Software platform is a high value/manufacturing precision environment in which to innovate and test alternative approaches.  Your computer becomes a practice field where sequences, safety, spatial relationships and resources can be reviewed and discussed before ever going to the site- and then every day until the project is complete.

However, there are some things you need to be aware of before you decide to spend any money.  NOT ALL 4D PROVIDES THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY.  Identify the problems you want to solve, test technology alternatives and be sure the software does what it says.   Learn What You Need To Knowin this White Paper.     Think about interoperability with your existing technology tools, be sure to get true 4D with an integrated scheduling system, test import and export times- these are all important to your outcomes.  If you get the right product, you will achieve the desired results.  High levels of cooperation, lower costs and predictable outcomes will no longer be the exception.  You will remember what you loved about construction and you will sleep better at night knowing that your project is on track.  So if you haven’t looked into Synchro recently, invest the time to learn because if you aren’t using it today you are likely competing against it!   Request a FREE trial and GET STARTED TODAY.  If you are already a Synchronian, check out our new inventory of best practice videos and sign up for upcoming webinars or advanced training!

Not ready for 4d?  Request a FREE license of Synchro Scheduler.

Susanne Dengenis

Synchro Software Ltd, www.synchroltd.com  

Owners- you have the power to improve your construction project performance and to support your contractors’ success by requiring new performance standards.   Improvement and innovation is win- win.  Yes, projects are increasingly complex; yes, supply chains are global; yes, the design world has advanced technologically. This is reality; the only certainty is that change will continue and the pace will increase.    Recognize that owners’ specifications drive innovation and progress.   Technology for design has improved significantly, primarily due to Owner’s specifying new BIM standards of practice from their design teams.  It is time to expect contractors’ project management tools to also significantly improve in order to keep pace with industry needs. Construction teams need tools that provide insight and digital integration from design through construction and into facility operations.

Scalable Technologies Huddlewall using Synchro PRO and Touchplan

Last year KPMG International published a survey of global construction project owners- the stats are not new.  The report detailed that the worst performance occurred on public sector projects, energy and natural resource projects, where 90% and 71% respectively suffered one or more underperforming project in the previous year.  Only 25% of all projects came within 10% of their original deadlines in the past 3 years.  The single biggest reason for underperformance- 69% of owners identified poor contractor performance.[1]  Is it the chicken or is it the egg?  Perpetuating poor performance only increases risk and costs.  Personally, I see remarkable construction project performance being achieved by contractors every day- maybe innovation and improvement isn’t as fast or as comprehensive as we all would like, but real progress is being achieved. Some of the companies leading innovation and improvement are, as you might expect, big global contractors with substantial resources; but some are small but smart niche players. The common trait amongst them is a commitment to constantly ask, how can we do better?  Traditional methods and the status quo aren’t acceptable in these companies. There is a vision for improvement that goes beyond “not making mistakes”.  So we know high performance is not only possible, it’s happening. How can you get more projects delivered on time and under budget?  The construction industry needs owners to step up, encourage and lead improvement; require optimized and validated 4D schedules that include resources and temporary works, require cooperative planning and digital rehearsal sessions with the delivery team, require weekly tracking of progress with planned to actual reporting.  Times have changed, specifications and technology must also change.

If contractors are left to determine how innovation will evolve, then have to “sell” new technology to owners, the pace of change will be slow indeed.  Owners- lower your risk, demand transparency and expect clear understanding and reliable forecasts. There are purpose-built 21^st century tools that are making big impacts- embrace them by upgrading your project management specification for your CPM schedule submissions. A schedule shouldn’t be tossed aside the first week of the project, or be used simply as an audit tool when delay claims come rushing in at the close of the project.  The construction schedule should be the foundation of successful project delivery.  4D planning and scheduling has been around since the late 1990’s. It’s not rocket science (it is your project time machine) and it’s not about glossy movies to animate great design.  If you aren’t familiar with it, start a pilot project to test it.  True 4D scheduling integrates the CAD design model with the CPM schedule in a process that will quickly and accurately create, edit, validate and optimize your project plan and schedule- include critical spatial oriented resources and the specific temporary works as designed by your construction engineers to deliver the project as planned.  4D is the most efficient and powerful way to plan and manage a project because it is visual.  It drives cooperation and transparency.  It allows you to identify and resolve design, space & time risks upfront when costs are low.  It is a high value/ manufacturing precision environment to test alternatives and to optimize sequences from preconstruction through to delivery and operation.  

So…owners ask yourself, what is your 2016 strategy to improve project performance?  Stop pointing fingers at the contractors who you need to understand and trust.   Develop a reliable strategy to dramatically improve performance and to decrease your risk. Start LEADING. 

[1] https://www.kpmg.com/BR/PT/Estudos_Analises/artigosepublicacoes/Documents/Build-Construction/global-construction-survey-2015.pdf

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Achieving a breakthrough in construction planning-improving safety and efficiency?

Every construction project is different and the current planning methods result in many operational challenges not being discovered until the last few days before the relevant work has to be done. The desired breakthrough can only be achieved by adding a new dimension to the current planning methods- one that enables everyone on the project to SEE and to easily understand exactly what will be going on ahead of time.  4D planning does exactly that, and therefore makes this breakthrough a reality.